Shopping cart liner with toy attachment system

Abstract

A shopping cart liner includes a body configured to nest in the child seat portion of a shopping cart. The body may define one or more openings positioned to enable the feet of a child seated in the shopping cart to protrude through the body, and the shopping cart liner includes a track at least partially embedded in a portion of the shopping cart liner. A clip is slidingly engaged with the track, and defines an opening for attaching an item to the shopping cart liner. An item such as a toy, teething ring, pacifier, or other item may be attached. The body may be padded, and, and may include one or more pockets. The shopping cart liner may include a seat belt for securing a child to the shopping cart liner, and may be used in combination with a pillow.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A shopping cart liner, comprising:
 a body configured to nest in the child seat portion of a shopping cart, the body having a front with a front edge and a back, wherein the front is configured to fit over a handle of the shopping cart and wherein the body defines one or more openings positioned to enable the feet of a child seated in the shopping cart to protrude through the body; 
 a track comprising a flexible rod-like member having a continuous outer surface, wherein the track is coupled to a portion of the shopping cart liner so that the child faces the track when the shopping cart liner is in use in the shopping cart and wherein the track is coupled to the body at a location between the front edge and the one or more openings, wherein the track is external to the shopping cart liner so as to project away for the liner, and wherein the track is coupled to the liner such that the track is aligned with an elongate axis of the handle when the body is nested in the child seat; and 
 at least one clip slidingly engaged with the track, the clip defining an opening for attaching an item to the shopping cart liner, wherein the clip is slidable along the track so as to be moveable along the handle in the direction of the elongate axis. 
 
     
     
       2. The shopping cart liner of  claim 1 , wherein the body is padded. 
     
     
       3. The shopping cart liner of  claim 1 , wherein the track is disposed along the handle of the shopping cart when the shopping cart liner is in use. 
     
     
       4. The shopping cart liner of  claim 1 , further comprising a seat belt for securing the child to the shopping cart liner.  
     
     
       5. The shopping cart liner of  claim 1 , wherein the track is embedded by wrapping it in a fabric sleeve sewn into the shopping cart liner. 
     
     
       6. The shopping cart liner of  claim 1 , in combination with a pillow disposed within the shopping cart liner to support the child when the shopping cart liner and pillow are in use. 
     
     
       7. The combination of  claim 6 , wherein the pillow is generally arc shaped, having two curved arms extending from a midsection, to define an open well to receive the child. 
     
     
       8. The shopping cart liner of  claim 1 , further comprising a pocket in an outside surface of the shopping cart liner. 
     
     
       9. The shopping cart liner of  claim 1 , in combination with an item attached to the shopping cart liner via the clip. 
     
     
       10. The combination of  claim 9 , wherein the item comprises an item selected from the group consisting of a toy, a doll, a ball, a mirror, a block, a pyramid, a teething ring, a toy shaped like an animal or insect, a toy shaped like a plant or flower, an item that generates sound, an item that generates vibration, and an item that generates light. 
     
     
       11. The shopping cart liner of  claim 1 , in combination with an item to be attached to the shopping cart liner, the item comprising a main body larger than the opening in the clip, and the item including a compressible member connected to the main body, wherein the compressible member is larger than the opening when the compressible member is in an uncompressed state, and the compressible member is configured to be compressible to a size smaller than the opening so that the compressible member can be passed through the opening to place the compressible member and the main body on opposite sides of the opening. 
     
     
       12. The shopping cart liner of  claim 1 , wherein the track comprises a welt having at least a portion with a substantially circular cross section. 
     
     
       13. The shopping cart liner of  claim 12 , wherein the welt is made of foam, rubber, or plastic. 
     
     
       14. The shopping cart liner of  claim 12 , wherein the welt includes an integrally formed flange. 
     
     
       15. The shopping cart liner of  claim 1 , in combination with a tote bag. 
     
     
       16. A method of using a shopping cart, the method comprising:
 providing a shopping cart liner including a body configured to nest in the child seat portion of a shopping cart, the body having a front with a front edge and a back, wherein the front is configured to fit over a handle of the shopping cart and wherein the body defines one or more openings positioned to enable the feet of a child seated in the shopping cart to protrude through the body, the shopping cart liner further including a track comprising a flexible rod-like member having a continuous outer surface, wherein the track is coupled to a portion of the shopping cart liner at a location between the front edge and the one or more openings and a clip slidingly engaged with the track, the clip defining an opening for attaching an item to the shopping cart liner, wherein the track is external to the shopping cart liner so as to project away for the liner, and wherein the track is coupled to the liner such that the track is aligned with an elongate axis of the handle when the body is nested in the child seat; 
 nesting the shopping cart liner in the seat portion of the shopping cart; and 
 seating the child in the lined seat portion of the shopping cart so that the child faces the track; and 
 sliding the clip along the handle in the direction of the elongate axis. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of using a shopping cart of  claim 16 , the method further comprising attaching an item to the clip via the opening. 
     
     
       18. The method of using a shopping cart of  claim 17 , further comprising adjusting the position of the item by sliding the clip along the track. 
     
     
       19. The method of using a shopping cart of  claim 16 , wherein the shopping cart liner further includes a seat belt, the method further comprising securing the seat belt around the child. 
     
     
       20. The method of using a shopping cart of  claim 16 , the method further comprising:
 providing a generally arc shaped pillow, the pillow having two curved arms extending from a midsection to define an open well to receive the child; and 
 placing the pillow in the lined seat portion of the shopping cart prior to seating the child. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of using a shopping cart of  claim 20 , the method further comprising seating the child in the open well with the pillow fitting around the child's waist to support the child in an upright seated position. 
     
     
       22. A shopping cart liner for a seat, the liner comprising:
 a body configured to nest in the seat, the body having a front with a front edge and a back and defining one or more openings positioned to enable the feet of a child seated in the seat to protrude through the body; 
 a track comprising a flexible rod-like member having a continuous outer surface, wherein the track is coupled to a portion of the shopping cart liner so that the child faces the track when the seat liner is in use in the seat and wherein the track is coupled to the body at a location between the front edge and the one or more openings, wherein the track is external to the shopping cart liner so as to project away for the shopping cart liner, and wherein the track is coupled to the shopping cart liner such that the track is aligned with an elongate axis of the handle when the body is nested in the child seat; and 
 at least one clip slidingly engaged with the track, the clip defining an opening for attaching an item to the shopping cart liner, wherein the clip is slidable along the track so as to be moveable along the handle in the direction of the elongate axis. 
 
     
     
       23. The liner for a seat of  claim 22 , wherein the seat liner is configured to nest in a seat portion of a high chair. 
     
     
       24. A shopping cart liner, comprising:
 a body configured to nest in the child seat portion of a shopping cart, the body having a front with a front edge and a back, wherein the front is configured to fit over a handle of the shopping cart and wherein the body defines one or more openings positioned to enable the feet of a child seated in the shopping cart to protrude through the body, the body substantially covering the child seat portion of the shopping cart and the handle of the shopping cart; 
 a track comprising a flexible rod-like member having a continuous outer surface, wherein the track is coupled to a portion of the shopping cart liner so that the child faces the track when the shopping cart liner is in use in the shopping cart and wherein the track is coupled to the body at a location between the front edge and the one or more openings, wherein the track is external to the shopping cart liner so as to project away for the liner, and wherein the track is coupled to the liner such that the track is aligned with an elongate axis of the handle when the body is nested in the child seat; and 
 at least one clip slidingly engaged with the track, the clip of a shape and size for attaching an item to the shopping cart liner, wherein the clip is slidable along the track so as to be moveable along the handle in the direction of the elongate axis. 
 
     
     
       25. The shopping cart liner of  claim 24 , wherein the track is embedded by wrapping it in a fabric sleeve sewn into the shopping cart liner. 
     
     
       26. The shopping cart liner of  claim 24 , wherein the clip comprises a clip body defining an opening for attaching an item to the shopping cart liner. 
     
     
       27. The shopping cart liner of  claim 26 , wherein the clip body is generally toroidal and comprises a slotted passage through which the track is slidingly engaged.